Automated Call Distribution
Automated Call Distribution (ACD) systems are well known. ACDs are used, for example, by mail-order retailing firms, which accept telephone orders for merchandise from customers. An ACD is shown in FIG. 1. As the ACD receives each incoming call from a customer, it searches for a free AGENT, to take the customer's call. When a free AGENT is found, the ACD connects the incoming call with the free AGENT.
In the example of FIG. 1, the incoming call is routed to AGENT 2, as indicated by the arrow. The call is not routed to any of the other AGENTs, because they are busy with other telephone calls.
This activity of the ACD is commonly called "hunting" and "distributing."
ACDs Cannot Handle Video Conferencing Calls
The call illustrated in FIG. 1 is an ordinary POTS call. "POTS" is an acronym used in the telephone industry, and stands for Plain Old Telephone Service. Residences are typically provided with POTS service. The amount of information which a POTS call can carry is limited, because of the limited bandwidth of a typical POTS line.
Today, another type of call, namely, the video conferencing call, or video call, is coming into widespread usage. In a video call, a video image of the caller is transmitted, in addition to the caller's voice. The parties to the call can both see, and hear, each other. Video calls require a significantly larger bandwidth than POTS provides. Video calls typically do not use POTS lines.
For technical reasons which need not be elaborated here, presently available ACDs cannot, in general, distribute video calls. That is, the ACDs cannot search for a free AGENT, as in FIG. 1, and route a video call to the free AGENT.